In semiconductor processing equipment systems, a human user or operator is responsible for controlling, monitoring, and recording semiconductor system performance and operation. Therefore, human errors are likely to occur. A single human error can be a costly and time consuming mistake. For example, a semiconductor processing system could process semiconductor wafers with an incorrect processing sequence, incorrect hardware, incorrect chemicals, or incorrect timing due to human error. As the complexity and capability of semiconductor equipment continues to increase, the occurrence of human error has the potential to increase.
To reduce human error, semiconductor equipment operators have been instructed to work in pairs or groups in order to double-check both the semiconductor system and the semiconductor wafers that are being processed. This method is costly in terms of man hours, open to negligence, and still results in a large number of human errors.
To further reduce the occurrence of human errors, computers have been added to semiconductor systems to allow for efficient use of the semiconductor system. Software packages provided by semiconductor equipment suppliers may make semiconductor equipment systems easier to use, but do not allow for error checking. Therefore, incorrect wafers are sometimes processed, or incorrect processes, chemicals, hardware, and timing are sometimes used.
In order to provide error checking capability to a semiconductor system, a semiconductor system supplier may develop and install error checking software code into existing semiconductor system code. This method is expensive and not feasible for semiconductor equipment suppliers due to the fact that all semiconductor manufacturers require different error checking algorithms, parameters, data, and options.
Another method for adding error checking functionality to a semiconductor system is to connect a semiconductor equipment system to a separate hardware system for error checking. Therefore, one computer or execution unit runs the semiconductor equipment while another system runs error checking algorithms. This method is expensive due to the added hardware overhead. The system is also more complex than desired due to the two independent execution devices or computers.